Mentor/Protégé ConnecƟon
IMPACT
Mentor/Protégé Connection IMPACT Why IMPACT? The Prairie View A&M University College of Business Mentor/Protégé Connection (IMPACT) offers students the opportunity to develop their professional insights and networks through the guidance of a career mentor. Mentoring has proven to be an effective strategy which can contribute significantly to professional development. How do students make sound decisions about their careers? How do they find out if they are in the right area, how to handle specific problems or what direction to move in? Learning from the experiences of others can be a great way to develop a student’s career path and to help him or her realize their potential. While the benefit for students seems obvious, IMPACT is expected to be a bonus to all parties in the relationship. Student protégés will immediately benefit from assistance with career development, lifestyle enhancement, goal achievement and other areas mutually designated by the mentor and protégé. Mentors develop a deeper awareness of their own behavior, improved interpersonal skills in listening, modeling and leading for personal growth. Moreover, IMPACT will enable alumni, members of industry and professionals to connect with the College of Business, as well as current and future colleagues in their field. Mentoring is primarily focused on providing interpersonal support, guidance, mutual exchange, sharing of wisdom, coaching and role modeling. It is a relationship, not just an activity, where one person professionally assists the career development of another. This is a deliberate, conscious, voluntary relationship and should be taken seriously. This is an investment of time (and perhaps resources) that will have a lasting impact. Students and mentors will meet at one of two IMPACT events held on the campus of Prairie View A&M University. If it is not possible for you to attend either event, arrange to meet with your protégé(s) as soon as possible. A unique feature of this program is the 360 degree rule for juniors and seniors. Business students who are juniors and seniors accepted into the IMPACT program will serve as mentors to pre‐business students (freshmen and sophomores) and be mentored by professionals. Juniors and Seniors must complete two applications to be admitted to the program: the Protégé and the Mentor (JR/SR) applications. Who can be a professional mentor? IMPACT Mentors may fall into one of three broad categories: Business Professionals/Personnel ‐ Beginning at five years of experience, working in any area of the business profession: accounting, finance, management, marketing, information technology, management information systems, operations, personal finance, law, economics, entrepreneurs; CPAs, CFPs and etc. IMPACT Program – Pilot 2015
Prairie View A&M University College of Business Alumni ‐ Beginning at one year of experience, working in any area of the profession. Faculty/Staff ‐ Especially those with experience in industry; particularly those in the greater Houston metropolitan area and/or on the campus of Prairie View A&M University. Although the abovementioned categories are preferable, if you are currently working in a related industry or profession, and you are genuinely committed to and interested in working with a student, regardless of level of experience, age, or area of expertise (you do not have to be a graduate of the College of Business at Prairie View A&M University) we invite you to become a mentor. Effective mentors have the following characteristics:  Have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, especially listening skills.  Have appropriate experience and knowledge in mentoring (or are willing to learn).  Are tactful and observe confidentiality and professional boundaries.  Show mutual respect, and are open minded, approachable and non‐judgmental.  Are fair, patient, able to give time unselfishly and are comfortable with personal disclosure. How do students qualify to participate in IMPACT? Currently, the program is open to freshmen sophomore, junior and senior business majors in good academic standing. While there is no GPA requirement, students will be required to submit an application and participate in a few activities be considered for IMPACT. How will students and mentors be matched? Potential mentors should be from one of the categories listed in this guide. The primary criteria for selection are:  The mentor's demonstrated skill in the delicate task of mentoring.  The suitability of the mentor's professional experience with the stated career goals/objectives listed by the student applicants.  Student and mentor’s interests, skills The key to a successful match is not necessarily the degree of similarity between the mentor and the partner. The key is the mentor's ability to tune in to, understand and accept what the partner is experiencing. Participants decide which activities and events are appropriate for interaction. Both parties should notify the program coordinators when scheduling meetings at non‐campus locations. Additional information, training and guidelines will be held at the IMPACT Orientation session in fall. IMPACT Program – Pilot 2015
What is the time commitment? Once mentors and protégés have been matched, both parties will be invited to a fall orientation held in the evening on the PVAMU main campus in fall. During the orientation, coordinators will provide guidelines and help set up expectations. After the orientation, the protégé (student) is responsible for contacting his/her mentor to schedule a follow‐up meeting or discussion before the end of the semester. Contact between the participants can be in the form of a phone calls, e‐mail, or personal meetings – the intent in arranging a second meeting is to discuss in greater detail what each person hopes to gain from the relationship and to establish some guidelines. Overall, protégés and mentors should expect to meet or talk for no more than an hour a month. From time to time, it may be a good idea for parties to meet face‐to‐face at mutually agreed upon locations, business functions and/or activities. For off‐campus meetings, please notify one of the coordinators prior to the meeting. Sample Activities (include but are not limited to):  Breakfast/lunch/dinner meetings  Internal/external business meetings with other members of the mentor's company  Corporate tours or meetings  Corporate social events such as company picnics, annual receptions  Involvement in corporate civic/volunteer programs  Professional seminars, industry meetings, local conferences  Mock interviews  Resume review  Senior Placement Sessions  Group projects on the PVAMU campus  Structured activity as part of COB IMPACT function. Applications for the IMPACT program are available online through www.pvamu.edu/business and program details will be discuss in more detail during the fall orientation. Please contact one of the program coordinators for additional details. Prairie View A&M University College of Business ‐ IMPACT Program P.O. Box 519; MS 2300 Prairie View, TX 77446 IMPACT Coordinators: Mr. Danny Harvey Mr. Cleveland Stiff djharvey@pvamu.edu ccstiff@pvamu.edu 936.261.9221 936.261.9263 IMPACT Program – Pilot 2015